Professor Neighton and the Bridled Tongue
by JustAPassingThought
Summary: A mysterious letter and a plea for help have brought the renowned Professor Neighton and his apprentice, Luke Trotin, to the rural town of Ponyville. But as the lines between reality and the impossible blur, will the professor be able to match his wits against secrets, tricks, and even magic to discover the truth? Read to find out!
1. Prologue

"Professor, you've got to see this! It looks like the apple trees go on forever!"

Professor Neighton glanced over to his apprentice with a small smile. Their journey had been a long one; they had to travel by carriage, boat, and even winged chariot to reach Equestria, let alone the rural town of Ponyville. While the constant moving may have tired some, Luke had relished every second of it. Even now, as the train sped towards its destination, the colt stood with his hooves pressed to the glass, drinking in the scenery as it rushed by.

"Indeed, Luke. That must be Sweet Apple Acres." The professor replied, scanning a map laid out in front of him. "This town hosts one of the largest orchards in Equestria, supplying apples to towns all over the country. We must be close to our destination." He folded the map and began to gather his things. His eyes wandered to the rolled parchment lying on the seat next to his apprentice. "Luke, have you taken another look at the letter that was sent to us?"

Luke hopped down from his perch at the window and unraveled the parchment. The professor had mentioned upon receiving the letter that something about it was peculiar. Luke didn't doubt it – the professor's intuition was usually spot-on. But the young colt had read the letter several times, and whatever had captured the professor's interest had so far escaped his detection. He studied it once more.

_Dear Professor Neighton,_

_My name is Twilight Sparkle; I live in a small town called Ponyville. While not without our struggles, we've been able to face and overcome every adversity. However, the past several nights have been perplexing to say the least. The sky spontaneously changes into a whirlwind of clouds and lightning;_ _ponies have disappeared and resurfaced in random locations, with no recollection of what happened; chaos and images of the impossible fill the street. Everyday these bizarre events have become more frequent, and I fear that if they remain unresolved the consequences could be dire. I humbly request your assistance in discovering what connects these events and how to put a stop to them. Your reputation and accomplishments speak for themselves; I am certain you would make short work of this mystery. _

_I've enclosed a map of Ponyville with this letter; please reply as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you._

_Sincerely,_

_Twilight Sparkle_

What stood out to the professor? It was a strange mystery, to be certain, but no more unique than other requests Professor Neighton had accepted in the past. The name was somewhat familiar, but he had the feeling the professor wasn't trying to turn his attention to the sender. Luke scanned the contents once more, scribbling in his personal notebook to search for strange lettering or secret codes, but his search was fruitless.

He could feel the professor calmly watching him struggle. Luke looked up with a sheepish smile before returning to the letter with renewed efforts. Maybe the answer wasn't what was written? Luke turned back his ears in concentration, but there wasn't anything unusual outside of the content of the letter either. The ink used to write it was normal, as far as he could tell. The parchment was standard, and there weren't any blemishes or even creases on the paper. He finally sighed; he might need some help on this one. He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a small yellow coin. He held it dejectedly towards his mentor, not meeting his eyes.

Professor Neighton chuckled. "There's no shame in accepting help, my boy. Even a gentlecolt sometimes requires the assistance of others." He closed his eyes in quiet concentration. "Now, let's see- I received this letter in my office after returning from a morning lecture, at 10:00 on the 29th."

Luke considered this information. The 29th was three days ago; Luke had come by that afternoon and Professor Neighton had explained the case to him. It wasn't unusual for the professor to receive mail in his office; sometimes Rose Patch will leave them on his desk while he's away, along with messages from his students and the occasional puzzle. Then again, he wasn't sure if the professor had gotten the letter through the post at all; what post office would send a letter as a scroll? It was probably brought there by some sort of carrier bird or personal mailmare. He scanned the paper for a postmark just in case, but instead what he saw was a small date penned neatly at the top of the page: April 29th. Suddenly it clicked.

"Professor, this letter was sent the same day you received it!" He said, jumping up. "And you found it in the morning; it took less than half a day to get to you from another country. That's impossible, unless it came by time-traveling mailmare or something."

"Indeed Luke, they would have to travel through time and space" Neighton agreed, smiling warmly at his apprentice. "Look at the condition of the letter- quite pristine. How would it not bear a single mark or fold during such a long journey?"

"So how did it get to you?"

"I have a few theories, though I believe the answer will reveal itself when we meet Miss Sparkle." A deep whistle seemed to punctuate his words as the train began to slow to a creep.

"It appears we have arrived." The professor said, adjusting his top hat and stepping towards the platform. "Gather your belongings, and be sure not to leave anything behind." Luke nodded, hastily shoving his notebook and quill into his saddlebag before bounding out the doorway after his mentor.

**First chapter finished! Hope you enjoyed it! This is my first fanfiction, so I'd really appreciate any reviews or critiques!**

/*

So, what's this curious section? :

Well, inquiring reader, this is where I'll put any future puzzles or riddles as the story goes on. I'll try to have one per chapter, unless there's a in-story riddle like this one. I'll have the answers here as well. However, I'm no professor Layton, and since I'll be writing my own riddles it's possible the answer will have mistakes. If that's the case, just let me know via comments or something; you'll get twice as many picarats from it! :D

*/


	2. Chapter 1: Meeting Twilight

Professor Neighton stepped onto the wooden platform, blinking in the afternoon sun. A clock perched high above him chimed- 4 'o clock. They had made good time, perhaps a bit too good. Twilight Sparkle wouldn't expect them before 7.

"Are we meeting her here?" piped Luke, searching the crowd as if to pick out the stranger among them.

"That was the intention, but it appears we've arrived a couple hours ahead of schedule." The Professor replied. He looked down at his apprentice with a smile. "We could explore the town a bit in the meantime. Or, if you'd like, we could wait for Miss Sparkle here."

"Let's explore." Luke quickly replied. "Maybe we'll see Twilight around town." The professor wondered how Luke expected to know Twilight Sparkle if he saw her, but the young colt was already heading into town in a steady trot, and the professor soon followed. He gazed at the homes and colorful shops that were perched on hills and scattered throughout the town. Ponyville was charmingly rustic; the thatch roofs and dirt roads certainly contrasted with the cobblestones and pavement that amassed Gressenhayler University. Other than a towering structure in the center of the town – presumably some sort of town hall – the buildings were simple but sturdy. To the casual eye it bore the air of a quiet, peaceful town. However, every so often faints signs of imperfect restoration, such as a patched window, a singed roof, or anxious face, would betray a recent hardship.

"Oof!"

Lost in thought, the professor and Luke bumped into an orange pony balancing two large baskets of golden apples. Her baskets toppled forwards, strewing their contents across the ground. A young filly donning a large pink bow glared at them from behind the orange pony.

"Why don't ya'll watch where you're going!" She barked. "Ain't you ponies got a lick of sense between you?"

"Hey! Don't talk to us like that!" Luke snapped back, brushing himself off and returning the glare. "It was an accident!"

"Luke, watch your tone." the professor cast his apprentice a stern look. "Remember, a gentlecolt never raises his voice, especially not towards a lady."

"Applebloom, you mind too." The orange pony said, bending down to collect the apples. "They didn't mean no harm, and just 'cause you're saddle-sore at somepony don't mean you can take it out on strangers. I beg your pardon; she ain't normally so short," she added, turning to the professor. "Somepony at school today gave her grief and she's still upset from it."

"Not at all- we should be apologizing to you for upsetting your wares." The professor replied. He had joined the orange pony, gingerly placing the large golden apples in the baskets. "Luke, I believe a few may have rolled down by that bakery. Would you check?"

*see below for apple-related puzzle*

"And there we have it." The professor said as he dropped the last apple in a basket and turned to the orange pony. "Would you like help carrying the baskets?"

"There ain't no need for that. Thank you kindly, though." The orange pony replied, tipping a worn stetson towards him. "I'm Applejack, and this here's Applebloom. Ya'll must be new to Ponyville; what brings you round these parts?"

"My name is Professor Neighton; this is my apprentice, Luke Trotin." The professor nodded at Luke, who stood up a bit straighter and smiled at the title of apprentice. "Our help was requested in solving a bit of a puzzle. Do you know where we might find a Miss Twilight Sparkle?"

"Oh, Twi? She'd likely be down at the library." Applejack flicked her tail towards a library built within a large oak tree. "That's where she stays, so if she ain't there now, you'll catch her in a bit. Now I best be off- Mrs. Cake will want these apples quick-like, you see."

"Thank you very much." The professor said, tilting his top hat. "Good evening, Miss Applejack, Miss Applebloom."

"Just Applejack or AJ's sound by me." She replied with a chuckle. "Good luck with whatever Twi's needing from you. And don't be strangers; ya'll are welcome to drop by Sweet Apple Acres any time you're hankering for some of the best apples in Equestria."

"Miss Sparkle?" Professor Neighton slowly opened the door of the library. It was well kept; everything seemed in perfect order, excepting a large encyclopedia laying open on a table, surrounded by pages of notes and exhausted quills. The scholar inside the professor swelled with joy gazing upon the walls of books. There was everything from mysteries to textbooks to adventure novels. He almost envied Twilight Sparkle; at the very least she must be a well-read pony, to call such a place home.

"Maybe she's upstairs." Luke suggested, starting up a wooden staircase. "Doesn't seem like it, though. She would've heard- woah!" Something had caught his eye, and he scrambled up the rest of the staircase. The professor shook his head; although it was technically a public library, it was also Twilight's home and Luke knew better than to rummage through a stranger's belongings. He was about to say as much, but just he began Luke poked his head back down to the professor. "Professor!" He said in a hushed whisper "You've got to see this! It's a…a… dragon!"

Stirred by curiosity, the professor followed his apprentice. Sure enough, in a carefully woven basket bed half-covered by a light blue blanket, a small dragon laid fast asleep. It was about as large as his young apprentice; every so often the dragon would breathe out a small stream of green flames, sending Luke jumping out of range in shock and delight. The professor closed his eyes and smiled. Of course; it all made sense.

"A real live dragon!" Luke chirped, eyes shining with excitement. The professor chuckled, keenly aware of Luke's attachment for animals of any species. "I thought they were bigger. Do you think he's dangerous? Do you think he'd want to talk? I've never talked to a dragon before. What do you he'd want to talk about? Wait, is he a boy or a girl?" He paused, perhaps considering how to approach the dialect of a dragon.

"Please be careful not to wake him!" A voice called from down the stairs. "He needs to get plenty of rest, especially to stay awake tonight." A violet unicorn appeared at the top of the stairs, placing a shopping bag filled with quills and parchment down next to her. She looked at the dragon with a soft smile before pulling the blue blanket over his shoulder. "After all, Spike's still a baby dragon."

"Luke, I do believe the puzzle of our time-traveling letter has been answered." The professor said, turning to his apprentice with a smile. "You see, Luke, some dragons have a rather amazing ability. By breathing flames on small objects, they can teleport the item to any location they please almost instantaneously. This skill is likely used to facilitate a hoarding tendency; they can send gems and the like to their nest in an instant. It is one of the few things we currently know about dragons, and only because princess Celestia's protégé, the bearer of the element of magic, has managed to raise a juvenile Cantonian Hoarder from birth." He turned to the unicorn dipped his head respectfully "It's quite an honor, Miss Sparkle."

Luke turned to the unicorn in wonder. The pony who needed their help was the princess' protégé? To be honest, he didn't know exactly what that entailed. But he knew how important princess Celestia was, and of course he knew about the Elements of Harmony. He could remember waiting in fear and confusion with the rest of the world a year ago, as the sun failed to rise on the summer solstice, as well as the relief he felt when it finally peeked through the sky. It was only later that the world learned about princess' capture, and how six young ponies had used a mythical device called the Elements of Harmony to save her. Luke dipped into a low bow.

Twilight blushed deeply. "Oh, t-there's no need for that." She said quickly before clearing her throat and turning to the professor "You must be Professor Neighton."

"Indeed- and this is my assistant, Luke." The professor said, as the young colt stepped out of his bow with a slight blush of his own.

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"Yes, our train arrived earlier than expected." The professor's smile dropped to a look of concern. "If we are at all intruding-"

"No no, it's fine. I was just hoping to tidy up a bit before you came." She confessed, horn glowing as she spoke, sending the few books that sat askew into proper order. "Here, there's more room to talk downstairs. Would you like anything to drink? We have water, apple juice, tea…"

"Some tea would be lovely, thank you." The professor said, following Twilight down the stairs. "If you don't mind, I'd like to learn more about these curious cases you mentioned in your letter. Would you please enlighten me with the details of each occurrence?"

Twilight looked over her shoulder through the window, where the sun was just beginning to sink into the sky. "Certainly," Twilight Sparkle said. "But soon you'll be able to see it for yourself."

**Chapter completed! What mysterious ailment plagues this town? What will Professor Neighton and his apprentice see? Find out next chapter! Well, actually, that won't be till the chapter after the next chapter. I'm probably not supposed to tell you stuff like that, but I don't want you to be disappointed when there's not much action next chapter. **

**By the way, on the Professor Layton timeline, this is set between the two series, after Emmy but before Flora. On the MLP timeline, it is set after the Mare in the Moon but before Discord. **

**Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave reviews and critiques!**

/*

Apple puzzle:

Applejack's baskets have toppled. Of the 18 apples that have spilt on the ground, 6 of them are golden grade apples. They are identical to the other apples and can only be recognized as golden grade apples upon close inspection. Applejack begins to pick up the apples. As luck would have it, the first apple she chooses is a golden grade apple. The second apple is also a golden grade apple. What are the odds that the third apple she chooses will be a golden grade apple as well?

Answer: 25%. The odds of the other apples wouldn't affect the third apple. However, the two golden grade apples would have been removed from the pool of fallen apples when Applejack collected them. Therefore the number of apples left would be 16, and the number of golden grade apples would be 4. That makes the odds ¼, or 25%.

*/


	3. Chapter 2: The Book

"Now, if you'd please explain." The professor began, accepting a cup from Twilight. "You stated in your letter that several chaotic events have plagued your town, and you specified the weather and the disappearing ponies. Precisely what else has been happening, and why did those events stand out?"

"I've identified the incidents are the same every night." Twilight explained, refilling her cup. "For example, every night there are copious amounts of lightning. Most of it remains within close range of the clouds, but lightning from low clouds can be a problem. About half a dozen or so ponies also disappear every night. Usually the next morning their friends and family report that they've gone missing, and a search party is sent out to find them. Like I stated in my letter, they are usually far away from home with no recollection of what happened. "

Tiwlight sighed, stirring her up and staring into the brown liquid. "But other than that, the exact events have been… erratic. Sometimes there will be illusions, or items will fly through the air, or the ground will change colors. But it's almost completely random."

"Most peculiar...," mused professor Neighton, taking a sip of his tea. Her matter-of-fact tone troubled him slightly. It was as though this had simply become a way of life for the residents of Ponyville. Their problems had become too common, too inevitable, to warrant outrage, anxiety, or any emotion but calm acceptance. "There are absolutely no other patterns or consistencies?"

"This sort of thing has happened every night for the past week or so, if that counts. It's started fairly small, and initially we tried to treat the symptoms rather than determine the cause." Twilights eyes dropped once again. "But it's gotten worse and worse; soon I'm afraid we won't be able to contain it."

"So you require outside assistance. If I may ask," The professor said after a short pause. "Considering the resources you have at your disposal, why did you seek my help, of all ponies?"

"Professor!" Luke exclaimed, as if in reply to his mentor. Both the older ponies' heads turned to the young colt. He was perched on the edge of a chair, looking down at the large book on the table. "Look at this! It's you; you're in this book!"

The professor blinked in surprise. He peered over his apprentice's shoulder to see a captioned photo of himself. The few other ponies that occupied the page glared at the professor and his apprentice with stern expressions. Professor Neighton looked a bit dazed in his photograph, donning a surprised smile. On top of a mess of brown hair his top hat was slightly askew, causing the professor to instinctively reach to straighten his own hat. The photographer must have caught him by surprise; his thoughts wandered to Emmy, a spirited pegasus who was an amateur photographer as well as his old assistant. To her, a candid expression was worth a dozen poses.

"_The Whinnyton Archeology Encyclopedia, 64__th__ edition_."

Professor Neighton turned to his apprentice in surprise; surely he misheard. "What was that, Luke?"

"That's the name of the book. _The Whinnyton Archeology Encyclopedia_" Luke said, tilting forward the cover. "Professor, is something the matter?"

Neighton didn't reply, staring down at the book in shock and wonder. Whinnyton Encyclopedias were world-renowned; they contained some of the most fascinating, intricate, and groundbreaking discoveries in archeology history. Their information was only rivaled by their rarity. Gressenhayler University possessed one copy- a very early edition, practically a relic itself; he had certainly never heard of a personal copy. Now, as the most recent edition was placed before him, the thought that his name and his accomplishments were considered important enough to be included in its pages both delighted and humbled the professor.

"Princess Celestia sent this to me, after I mentioned finishing some literature on the subject. This is how I learned about you." Twilight trotted over and turned to a bookmarked page about Ambrosia, which contained a fairly large section concerning the professor. The encyclopedia was well annotated with elegant writing, presumably the princess'. Next to his name the tiny writing filled the margin: _a remarkable discovery and archeologist. I highly recommend looking into his work and other cases; they are informative, interesting, and professionally written without being incomprehensible to an amateur in the field._

"The princess has good taste, eh professor?" Luke piped, beaming at his mentor. "'Remarkable archeologist' indeed; it's about time you were given the credit you deserve." Professor Neighton ignored the last remark; he thought it a bit much for his modest publications. His eyes drifted to the next page, which contained a fascinating section on prehistoric ponies. He quickly became lost in a stream of detailed and novel information that streamed in like grout, filling and connecting his various understandings of the subject.

"Anything interesting?"

The trance was broken. Professor Neighton silently scolded himself letting himself become distracted; the book was impressive, but his excitement was no excuse for acting in a manner unbecoming of a gentlecolt. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Sparkle. Please continue – "

"No no, it's not- I'm not upset or anything. Honestly I've covered as much of the case as I can; you really have to see it firsthand." She explained. She pulled over some parchment, nodding at the book with a small smile. "I was just wondering if you wanted to talk about it."

Neighton smiled, pleasantly surprised. It wasn't often that he was in the company of a pony that shared his interest in archeology. While Luke's interest in puzzle solving was second only to the professor's, he simply didn't possess the same craving for archeology as his mentor. It didn't bother Professor Neighton; Luke was his own pony, with his own interests. Indeed, as he watched his apprentice bound down from the table and excitedly bombard the newly-awoken dragon with greetings, questions, and the occasional puzzle, (*see below for Library-related puzzle*) the professor delighted in the young colt's exploration of his own passions. Still, it was nice to be able to talk to somepony about an interest of his.

He turned the book for Twilight to see. "This was a rather groundbreaking study of its time. Spadeclutch's discovery of ancient mesohippus fossils provided quite a bit of insight into the development of ponies over time." He explained, drinking in the detailed photos of skeletons as well as the thorough notes Princess Celestia left. "The similarities in bone structure opposed the previous theory that pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies had a much more distant common ancestor. His findings suggested that the divergence of wings and horns was due to a more recent, possibly sudden, mutation in the genetic make-up…"

A soft scratching sound interrupted him; the professor paused, looking over to make sure he wasn't boring Twilight Sparkle. Instead he found with some surprise that the unicorn had summoned a piece of parchment and carefully noted every word he said. He almost chuckled a bit at how easily they had fallen into their respective roles of a lecturing teacher and an attentive student. He glanced at the various piles of notes that practically masked the table.

"You've certainly delved into this subject. Princess Celestia must be very proud of you," He said with a smile. Her quill slowed to a stop, and Twilight was silent for a while. She organized her notes in stacks, not looking up.

"She's a very busy pony." She mumbled, arranging the parchment in meticulous order. "I wouldn't want to bother her something trivial like this."

"Trivial?" He replied. "I've taught for several years, I can assure you there is no greater gift than a pupil eager and able to learn."

"It's almost time. We should head outside." She said shortly. The professor noted the change of subject but didn't mention it; after all, a true gentlecolt never presses an unwanted discussion. Luke and Spike joined the ponies, and the four of them stepped outside of the library, where the almost invisible sun formed a deep red glow that burned against a layer of clouds. A strange silence surrounded them. No other ponies occupied the streets; the four of them were completely alone. The sun finally disappeared from sight, and for a while the square was filled with darkness.

An intense feeling of anxiousness and anticipation and began to rise in Professor Neighton's chest. Luke must have felt the same; he could just make out his apprentice stiffened beside him, backing up a bit closer to his mentor. Flickers of lightning danced through the clouds. The white glow they produced only seemed to add to the strange enchantment that filled the air. With a tense voice Twilight spoke:

"It's starting."

**Chapter completed! Honestly I'm not crazy about this chapter; it seemed to drag a bit. But I wanted to include a bit of character interaction before I jumped into the plot.**

**On that note, I'm gonna go ahead and get it out there that there's not going to be any shipping in this fic. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I was afraid while I was writing that the part with Twilight and Neighton might seem like flirting. It was intended as more of a teacher/student moment.**

**A special thanks to the people who commented on my fic. You guys are awesome!**

**The Mocking J: Thank you! I'm rather happy with how the cover turned out, though I did end up having to cut out their cutie marks. But hey, I'll have a chance to reveal them in a later chapter, so it all works out. And honestly I didn't give enough information in the first puzzle to make it solvable; I'll be better about that in the future.**

**Rosygem: Hey, you gave it a shot- that's good enough for me. Thank you for your review!**

**The Knit Hat Ninja: Yep, Rose Patch is Rosa. I tried to "Ponify" all of the Layton character names. I couldn't really think of anything for Emmy Altava, though. Whinny Altava? Maybe. And thank you so much for the glowing review!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a comment!**

/*

Library puzzle:

Twilight gives Spike 4 stacks of books, each with a different number of books in them. She explains to him that she wants him to place each of these stacks of books on the shelves. She explains that he may use as many shelves and place as many books on the shelves as he'd like, but he must follow these rules:

Each shelf must contain the same number of books

No shelf can hold more than 10 books

He must place at least 2 books on each shelf

(example: if a stack had 12 books, he could have 4 shelves with 3 books on each, or 3 shelves with 4 books on each, etc.)

Spike returns with one of the stacks, saying that it can't be shelved based on those rules. Which stack is it?

Stack of 24 books

Stack of 30 books

Stack of 7 books

Stack of 19 books

Stack of 26 books

Answer: D is the only stack that can't work. A can be stacked 4 shelves with 6 books on each. B can be stacked 3 shelves with 10 books on each. C can be stacked 1 shelf with 7 books on it. E can be stacked 12 shelves with 2 books on each.

*/


	4. Chapter 3: The Cloaked Figure

The stillness of the town was broken. A soft breeze strengthened into gusts, transforming the sky into a whirl of clouds. Lightning grew in frequency and intensity; flickers soon became constant bursts of light. Fortunately for the ponies, the lightning was, for the most part, contained in the clouds. But every once in a while a bolt would escape, striking the earth with a brutal crack of thunder.

As Professor Neighton looked around, however, all thoughts of the weather vanished. Trees shrank to the size of apples before suddenly springing back into shape. The professor ducked as everything from flowers to pots and pans flew over his head, ramming into buildings with a clatter. In front of him a roof sagged as the color from it dripped onto the ground in a puddle of golden-brown. He tried to spot any similarities between these events, or any sort of pattern, but it seemed Twilight was correct; it was completely random. The unicorn herself was backed into a corner, warding off any potential dangers with an almost constant stream of magic. Despite her efforts and experience, even the young unicorn was having trouble guarding against such a wide assortment of assaults.

"Aaaah!"

The professor whirled around. A yellow light encircled Luke and he was slowly lifted in the air. He struggled, kicking and flailing, but his attacks did nothing to free him. "Professor!" He shouted from his glowing prison. "Help!"

/* see below for floating related puzzle */

The yellow glow around Luke vanished as suddenly as it came. Just as the young colt began to fall Neighton caught him and placed him gently on the ground. His apprentice hastily adjusted his cap and saddlebag, shaken and embarrassed, but otherwise unharmed. "Where are we, Professor?" Luke asked, looking up at his mentor.

Neighton glanced around; the light had led them a ways away, and neither Twilight nor the library was in sight. The flashing sky made no shortage of lighting, but every building seemed foreign bathed in white light and shadows. Even his own apprentice looked strange, his cream coat glowing to an unnatural white and his inquisitive face cast in shadows.

"I'm not sure, Luke." He confessed. A slushing sound interrupted him; the ponies began to sink as the ground softened to the consistency of mud. The two quickly jumped back to firmer ground, watching as the ground slowly hardened one again. "But it would best if we stayed on our hooves." He continued. "Follow me."

The two trudged onward. Luke stayed close on the professor's heels as he navigated through the strange town. Enchantments and chaos flashed before them, but Luke was past the point of looking for patterns. Every once in a while they would see other ponies, usually running past them or standing with an unnatural stiffness. Professor Neighton tried to talk to one, but she simply turned and walked through him, continuing a few steps before fading away. Luke shuddered, reminding himself that it was probably another random quirk- _definitely_ another quirk – rather than a ghost or anything supernatural. Not that he was afraid of that sort of thing.

But as the two continued walking, the number of houses dwindled and the dirt roads changed to grass. The chaos around them seemed to dissipate as well; as they reached the edge of town, the events became fewer and farther between. Luke plopped down in the grass, breathing a sigh of relief. He looked up at his mentor with some confusion. "Professor?"

The professor remained standing. He was completely still; only his ears twitched slightly. His expression worried Luke; his face was completely taunt, his eyes focused and unblinking. Luke recognized it as one of growing apprehension, which was often a sign for others to being afraid. "Luke, do you hear that?" Professor Neighton asked in a low voice.

Luke turned his ears left and right, trying to pick up whatever had caught the professor's attention. Finally he heard something. It was faint; he could hardly hear it above the wind. But when he did, the sound was unmistakable.

A scream.

Luke leapt to his hooves, catching up to the Professor, who was already in a full gallop. As they closed in on it, the scream became more and more prominent. Then, gradually, it became quieter. This only spurred the Professor to run faster, grasping to the sound before his trail faded. But soon it became silent even to the professor's straining ears. He paused, looking around with short breath. He glanced behind him; he could hardly see the town now. He sighed. Perhaps the scream wasn't real; just another offshoot of the night's chaos.

"Professor, Look!"

The professor followed Luke's point to the top of a distant hill, where two ponies were standing. One was small, probably about Luke's age. The other towered over her, donning a cape that draped over most of his body. His hoof grasped the smaller pony's forehead, lifting her front legs slightly off the ground. She struggled against him, pawing at his hoof and crying out weakly. Neither noticed professor Neighton and Luke sprinting towards them, still painfully far away.

"Stop!" Luke shouted. "You're hurting her! Stop it!"

The larger pony paused. The smaller pony collapsed from his hoof, limp and silent. He turned to face the apprentice. A deep, almost instinctive fear crept into Luke as they neared him. What would they do if they reached the cloaked pony? Fight? What chance did Luke stand in a fight against him? His breath quickened and his pace slowed slightly. Although the pony's face was somewhat shrouded by the hood of his cloak, he seemed to emit an air of danger, of cruelty, of an impenetrable darkness. Panicked, Luke looked up at his mentor.

Professor Neighton pace never slackened, his eyes the fallen pony. Maybe he wasn't afraid; maybe he was just as terrified as Luke. But his expression was one set with resolve, a look of determination and of something more important than fear. Luke narrowed his eyes, pressed his fear deep into his chest, and matched his pace with the professor.

The cloaked figure tilted his head, as if contemplating his options. He took a slow step forward. Suddenly his face turned upward, as if changing his mind. He turned his back to the Professor and Luke and ran off, disappearing over the crest of the hill.

Seconds later the Professor and Luke reached the collapsed pony. The professor looked around for the cloaked figure, but he was nowhere to be seen, despite the lack of coverage save a thick forest a considerable distance away. There was nothing else but a shallow river and a small cottage, which the cloaked pony wouldn't have been able to reach it in so short a time. The professor turned his attention to the collapsed pony. With some surprise he recognized the tiny form. She donned a large bow, and while her face was no longer darkened with anger, it was unmistakable.

"Is she okay, Professor?" Luke asked nervously. The professor leaned down. Her coat was drenched in sweat. She was breathing; her breath was shallow and rapid, but it was slowly regulating itself. Other than a light bruise from falling, she had no physical injuries. He pressed a hoof to her neck to check her pulse. To his surprise, she shifted, curling up and mumbling slightly, never opening her eyes.

"Luke, I don't think she's unconscious." Layton said. "I believe she's simply asleep."

"Asleep?" Luke replied incredulously. "How could she be asleep after that?"

Layton looked up. The sun was just creeping into the sky. Color and soft sunlight returned to earth, and the world was a bit more familiar. Neighton gently lifted the sleeping filly onto his back. He glanced back to where she had laid. Her tiny hooves had left impression in the soft soil, leaving four small dips, deeper for the back legs, in the otherwise flat ground. The grass where she had fallen was pressed, some of the blades broken. The professor closed his eyes.

"Curious." He mused. He turned to Luke with a small smile. "Let's head back to town." He walked gently down the hill, so as not to wake the sleeping filly, as his apprentice trotted after him.

**Chapter completed! Sorry it took so long. I'm actually rather happy with this chapter, even if it is a bit shorter than I expected. **

**These next couple months are going to be pretty hectic, so I probably won't have the next chapter up for a little while. I do intend on finishing this story, though. Also, as for the puzzles, would you prefer I posted the answers in the next chapter to give people a chance to guess, or are you fine with how it is? Post your preferences in a comment!**

**Also, special thanks to The Knit Hat Ninja. Reviews like yours keep me posting. :)**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave a comment!**

/*

Floating puzzle:

Luke is 4 feet in the air and rising at a constant rate. If Neighton jumped immediately, he could reach Luke's height, but barely. Neighton could also run and jump, it will require 2 seconds of preparation, but allow him to jump twice as high. At what rate of rising would it make no difference whether he jumped or ran and jumped? (Assume that the time it takes for Neighton to jump is negligible.)

Answer: 2 foot/second

Neighton jumps twice as high when he runs and jumps, so for there to be no difference, Luke would have to be twice as high as well, or 8 feet in the air. That's an increase of 4 feet during the 2 seconds of preparation, or 2 feet per second.

If it were any less, he'd have better chances running and jumping. Any higher, and he'd be better off just jumping.

*/


	5. Chapter 4: Rosewood

By the time Professor Neighton and his apprentice had reached the town it was already stirring with life. Ponies had grouped around various buildings, carrying supplies and tending to the fallout of the night before. Every pony seemed to have a job. Neighton recognized Twilight in of the crowd; she was carrying a checklist, making rounds to ensure that everypony was doing their part and that no work was being overlooked.

Some ways off about half a dozen ponies gathered around a small team. They were clearly distressed, all talking at once to reddish-brown pegasus, who had closed her eyes to focus on the flood of information. Professor Neighton recognized a thick southern drawl among them.

"She's a little thing, with a yellow coat and red hair. No cutie mark either, though she's right touchy about that." She said, her words quickening with a short breath. "I've checked all over Sweet Apple Acres, every inch of it. Where on earth could that filly be? It just ain't like her to run off on her own." Applejack looked up, catching sight of the professor and the tiny form on his back with a sharp gasp.

"AppleBloom!"

The professor was amazed at how quickly the orange pony weaved through the crowd to get to him. He gingerly placed Applebloom on the ground; her eyes were just opening, peering around in drowsy haze. Her confusion deepened as Applejack pulled her into a tight embrace, almost laughing with relief.

"Don't you ever worry me like that again, you hear?" She said, finally letting her sister go. "You ain't hurt now, are you? Ya'll don't need to lie down or nothing? Thank Celestia you're okay; you nearly had me worried sick there, Applebloom. C'mon now, it's alright, I ain't mad. Just what happened?"

Applebloom still glanced up at her sister in bouts of confusion, but she was beginning to form an idea of what was going on. She skewed her eyes shut in concentration. She finally opened her mouth to speak -but no words came out. She seemed to surprise even herself, and tried again with renewed efforts. This time all she could manage was a raspy start of a whisper, the sound of which sent her back into a dismayed silence.

"If you're having trouble speaking, don't force it."

The brown pegasus stepped out of the crowd and joined the Apple sisters. She was a fairly young pony, only a few years older than Twilight Sparkle, with a brick mane and tail kept shorter even than Luke's. Her expression, however, was that of a pony who wasn't to be crossed. She was the only pony who didn't seem the least bit surprised; she looked on with an objective eye, a look which experience had turned to callousness. She turned to AppleJack.

"Occasionally the ponies that have been missing return with lost voices. It will come back in a day or two, so long as she lets her voice rest." The pegasus turned to the younger pony. "Do you remember anything that happened last night? Nod or shake your head."

The young pony shook her head, looking at the ground. For a moment a flash of frustration broke the pegasus' stern expression.

"Nothing at all? No images, faces- even something that may have seemed like a dream? Nothing? Come on now, think!"

Applebloom shook her head furiously, almost on the verge of tears. AppleJack cast the pegasus a severe look before kneeling down by her sister. "It's alright, Applebloom." She said, brushing the filly's bangs out of her face. "Ain't no pony trying to pressure you. If you don't remember nuthin', you don't remember nuthin'."

Applebloom cringed back from Applejack's hoof, eyes darting around. Her eyes locked with her sister's, and she let out a tiny gasp. It all happened within a moment; then the fear in the filly's eyes slowly dissipated, and she buried her head into her sister's arm. The brown pegasus let out a short sigh before turning to face the professor.

"Rosewood- Detective Rosewood." She said with a short nod. "I've been put in charge of the whereabouts of missing ponies. Now, I haven't seen your face around here; you're definitely not on my team." Her tone sounded almost accusatory, as though they had to answer for not being known. "Where and when did you find this filly?"

"My name is Professor Neighton. My apprentice and I found Applebloom about an hour ago, on a hill near that forest." The professor replied, motioning towards the mass of dark trees still visible from the town.

"The Everfree Forest. You must be tourists." Rosewood said. Her expression remained hard, but the suspicion decreased ever so slightly. "You should avoid that area; it's dangerous, even for the locals."

"Thank you, we'll keep note of that." Professor Neighton replied. "One more thing you should know- there was another pony with Applebloom. He stood above her, grasping her forehead like so." The professor mimicked the action. "His intentions seemed… malicious, but he ran off as we approached."

Rosewood whipped around. "Another pony?" She steadily asked, shock clearly contained into attentiveness. "What did he look like?"

"He had the build of a horse or tall pony. He was also fully cloaked." Professor Neighton said. He turned to his apprentice. "I believe Luke had a better view of his face."

Luke stepped back a bit, startled as the detective's intense stare shifted to him. He turned back his ears to remember the face, to picture it in his mind. But it was like trying to describe a flash of lightning; the details were gone in an instant, and only the feeling of fear remained. Luke had the feeling "it was scary" wasn't going to cut it with Rosewood.

"His coat was white- or maybe just a light color. It was hard to tell with the lightning. Also I think his face was pretty bony, like an old pony. Except I don't think he was actually old… He just, you know… had the face like it. Just forget I said that." He mumbled, his voice trailing off. It was hard enough remembering without Rosewood's expecting look.

"Would you recognize a photo of him?"

"I… I think so. Yeah, I'd know him if I saw him."

"Raincloud!" She shouted at a gray unicorn with a raindrop cutie mark. "There are some search charts in my bag. (See below for chart puzzle) You're in charge until I get back. You two- come with me."

The two ponies followed Rosewood to a police station deep into the town. They almost overlooked it; it was much smaller than the Scotland Yard, almost with the size and appearance of the other shops around ponyville. Perhaps, Neighton considered, not as much was needed to uphold to the law in a town as small as Ponyville.

"Ignore the mess." Rosewood remarked as they walked in. Neighton found this easier said than done; while Rosewood flew over to a file cabinet on the other side of the room, the professor and his apprentice struggled not to knock over towering stacks of paper and precariously placed files as they waded across. Rosewood unhooked a small golden key and unlocked the cabinet; inside, almost stuffed to the brim, was a sea of photos. Some were of events similar to those of the night before; many of them were of ponies. Some of the ponies were crying, some were laughing, and many were panicking. Luke whistled slightly before diving into his task, carefully sorting the photos into piles. Professor Neighton turned to Rosewood.

"Did you take all of these photos, Detective?" He asked.

The detective smiled slightly. "No, this was Snapshot's work. We were both put on this job by the mayor. I have a bit of a knack for finding things, so I set up a team to search for lost ponies. Snapshot, though, he wanted to find the 'bigger picture' behind it all." She let out a small chuckle. "I told that pony he was crazy. But you've never seen a pony get passionate about a project the way Snapshot did."

"I would love to meet him." Neighton said with a smile, though something about the way she spoke, her use of the past tense, worried the professor.

Rosewood's expression hardened. "Yes, well, that may be difficult, seeing as he skipped town." Her head turned to the drawer of photos. "Just up and left. He didn't even take his work with him."

She walked forward to a pile of photos, leafing through them in silence. Luke glanced over with some annoyance at his work being undone before returning to the drawer. She stopped on a photo of herself and a light blue earth pony with a camera cutie mark. He was smiling broadly, holding the camera with one hoof and half-tackling the pegasus with the other. She was rolling her eyes, a smile well hidden under an irked expression.

Rosewood closed her eyes. "He was on to something. He told me so that night- the night before he disappeared. He could barely contain himself. We found him the next morning, but he wasn't like the others. You could see it in his face, in his eyes: terror. The kind most ponies can't imagine on their own; the kind that breaks them. He couldn't speak for two days. And, when he first saw me... he screamed. At least, he tried to, before his voice gave out again. And when his voice did come back he wouldn't talk to me; he just told the doctor that he couldn't take it here, that he'd seen too much, and he had leave. And that's what he did."

A sickening feeling crept into Neighton's stomach. "Detective," He asked slowly. "Do you believe that whatever happened to Snapshot… that in the case of ponies like Applebloom…"

"Honestly? I think the filly's lucky she doesn't remember anything." Rosewood's eyes scanned the photos once more. "The trail's here somewhere. Snapshot knew where to look, or who to look for." Her voice deepened into a growl. "Whoever they are, they'll pay for what they've done. I'll make sure of that."

"Here!" Luke suddenly shouted, triumphantly lifting up one of the photos. "This one right here; I'm sure of it." He placed it on a table for the older ponies to see. The figure was looking away, but the pony was unmistakable. The figure towered above the rest, though his build was largely covered with his cloak. Luke could see his face slightly better in the photo. It was white, as Luke had guessed, and the skin was taunt, as though it had been stretched to its limit to cover the bones. Even the cloak betrayed him; it was dark in color, with a large hood that, at a different angle, would have covered his face.

"Excellent, excellent!" The detective whispered. She could hardly contain her excitement. To the professor, her eyes gleamed like a hunter on a trail. She closed them with a satisfied smirk before turning to the Professor and his apprentice. "Thank you for your cooperation. Be on the lookout for any unusual or suspicious behavior; you're free to go."

Luke began to walk, but Professor Neighton's eyes stayed on the photo. "Could you spare a copy of that photograph?"

Rosewood's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I was also asked to look into this case."

She raised an eyebrow. "And if I say no? Are you going to 'look into this' whether you have my help or not?"

The professor met her expression. "It's not a gentlecolt's way to sit idly while innocent ponies like Applebloom are being harmed. That doesn't change when he is helped or impeded." He said gravely. His expression softened into a smile, "Though I'd much prefer work together."

The detective laughed, but a new respect had formed in her eyes. " A gentlecolt's way, huh? Alright, one second." She picked up the photo and flew to another room. The sounds of machines whirling began and died down, and she returned with two photos. "You may use police resources, but that's only under the condition that you report any of your findings to me."

"Fair enough." The professor agreed, accepting the photograph with a tip of his hat. "I hope to see you soon."

With that he turned out of the police station, his apprentice following after him.

**Chapter completed!**

**I'm back! Did you miss me, readers? All 4 of you?**

**Anyway, this chapter is a pretty good reflection on how dark the story will get. Most of the darker moments are about messing with the mind (so not much physical violence and very little blood and gore) and most of it is implicational. But both of series I'm writing about are clean, so I want to keep my story that way. Still, the stakes have to be high, if that makes sense.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to leave a comment, prediction, anything!**

/*

chart puzzle:

(Author's note: I apologize ahead of time. The charts didn't transfer over and I had a bit of trouble getting the format right. Please note that a. the stars are outside of the charts, b. the columns are the letters most closely aligned, and c. ignore the periods underneath each chart- they're just there to get the stars in the right spot.)

Rosewood gave several charted maps to Raincloud, each **P** representing a location where the ponies should search, and N represents an area where that was unnecessary. However, while Raincloud looked over the charts, she noticed the charts were set up in a peculiar way.

|N | P | N | P | N|  
|P | P | P_| P | P| *  
|P | N | N | N | P|  
|N | P | P | N | N|  
|N | N | P | P | P| *  
... ...*...*...*...*

|P | N | N | N | N| *  
|P | N | P_| P | P|  
|N | P | N | N | P|  
|N | N | N | N | N|  
|P | P | P_| N | P|  
* ... ... ... . *...*

|P | N | P | P | N| *  
|P | P | P | N | P|  
|P | P | N | P | P|  
|N | P | P | N | N|  
|P | P | P | N | N| *

At first the stars seemed to serve no purpose. However, when Raincloud returned the maps to Rosewood, the detective examined chart 11:

|P | N | P | N | N|  
|P | P | P | N | N| *  
|N | P | N | N | P| *  
|P | N | P | P | N| *  
|N | P | P | N | N|  
... . * ... ... *... *

And could immediately tell one of the P's had been swapped out for an N, and where. Where did the swap occur? (hint: she didn't just memorize the charts.)

Answer: row 3, column 1

|P | N | P | N | N|  
|P | P | P | N | N| *  
|**N** | P | N | N | P| *  
|P | N | P | P | N| *  
|N | P | P | N | N|  
... . * ... ...*... *

The dots are next to/under the rows and columns with an odd number of P's. To find the changed square, simply find the row and column where the number of P's doesn't correspond with whether it has a dot. This lets Rosewood know if there are any changes without modifying her maps or memorizing the charts!

*/


	6. Chapter 5: Investigation

The two ponies began to make their way back to the library. It was a bit of a hike; Luke entertained himself by kicking up loose patches of dirt as he walked, watching with satisfaction as the dust rose in swirls and dissipated in the wind. Neighton treaded on silently, contemplating his conversation with detective Rosewood. "What do you think, Luke?" He asked, his voice breaking both of their trances.

"About Rosewood? I'm rather glad to be away from her, to be honest." His apprentice replied with a slight grimace. "The way she looked at everyone and the way she spoke to you. She's so- " Luke caught the professor's warning glace and cleared his throat, adopting a more respectful tone "That is, she's a rather… intense pony to be around."

"Indeed, she's very driven." Neighton agreed. The morning reparations had been largely completed by the time they had left the station, though a few ponies still remained working on individual patch-ups. Neighton was rather impressed at how skillfully everypony had worked to recover their small town in such a short amount of time; Twilight Sparkle wasn't joking when she spoke of their ability to face adversity. Still, even for such seasoned bearers of burden, he imagined the drain it placed their resources, and even more so their energy and morale, must be considerable. He lowered his gaze in thought, turning to his apprentice "Rosewood hasn't been a detective for very long, has she?"

"What do you mean, professor?"

"The way Rosewood spoke of the mayor assigning her the position based on circumstances; it suggested that she received her position due to this case. And, as Twilight stated, these strange occurrences have only lasted for about a week."

"I suppose so." Luke mused, tilting his head to the side. "You would never guess it from the way she orders everypony around. She's pretty confident for somepony so new."

"Perhaps, Luke." The professor replied. Still, he had his doubts. Throughout the years he had known many ponies who acted similarly to Rosewood; it was rarely out of confidence.

The professor paused for a moment as he reached the library. It seemed misshaped, as though it had been separated into pieces and imperfectly placed back together. A long dark streak cut through the left side of the trunk, leaving a splintered gash in its wake. The professor followed it up the branches, where the leaves were blackened and dry. He silently opened the door. Once inside he could see Twilight Sparkle with another pony, a light-blue pegusus with a rainbow mane perched near the opened window.

"Just chill, Twilight!" the Pegasus said with a frustrated flick of her tail. "I said I'd take care of it, and I'll take care of it!"

Twilight was turned away, using her horn to trace the wall of the library where the dark streak bled through. As she worked the splintered wood areas slowly weaved together once more and the blackened oak became its standard brown. She peered crossly over her shoulder.

"You said the pegusi had this under control!" She said. "If anypony had been inside the library when the lightning struck-"

"Nopony was!" The pegasus snapped back. "Look, some featherbrain landed on a cloud that hadn't been cleared yet and the library to the heat. But it's fine now. Just put up some spells or something next time to keep it from getting hit."

Twilight paused from her work to cast the pegasus a glare. "I do take precautions." She replied with irritation. "Every night something breaks them. Last night the force field I set around the library turned into a bubble and popped. The night before that my lightning rod turned into glass and shattered. And the night before that-"

"I get the picture, Twilight."

"The point is that I don't know whether the protection spells I cast today will be botched by nightfall. And if the pegasi can't keep the clouds clear- "

"You think we're just sitting around plucking our feathers? We're up to our wings out there!" The Pegasus barked with a stamp of her hoof. "I don't know if you've noticed, but Cloudsdale is an _entire city_ _made of clouds_; We've got to take care of it first. So when it comes to Ponyville, we'll get to it, but it's gonna have to take a number."

"But you-"

"_I said_ _we'll get to it_."

Twilight sighed, turning back around "If you would just listen we could - oh, you're back!" She noticed the pair standing at the doorway and managed a small, if somewhat exasperated, smile. Neighton dipped his head.

"Excuse us." Neighton said. "We would like to speak with you, Twilight, but if now's not the best time we can come by later."

"Don't bother, Top hat- we're just about finished." The pegasus replied before Twilight could respond. She turned to the window, outstretching her wings. "See you around, Twilight."

Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but the Pegasus was already gone. The unicorn shook her head, muttering something about stubbornness, before turning to the professor. "Sorry about that. Have you found anything?"

The professor nodded, placing the photo of the cloaked pony on the table in the center of the room. The edges of it glowed as Twilight picked it up, narrowing her eyes in concentration.

"Do you recognize this pony?" Professor Neighton asked. Twilight shook her head.

"It's a bit difficult to tell who he is from the picture, but no, I don't believe so." She said, placing the photo back down on the table. "Is he linked to the incidents?"

"Perhaps." The professor explained. "Last night we found him with a missing filly. We didn't see much; he had placed his hoof on her forehead, and it seemed like he was hurting her. Later we found that she had no physical wounds, but her voice was gone, as well as her memory of what had happened. "

Twilight's face softened in sympathy before furrowing in deep thought. "Lost voice and memory? That sounds like magic to me." She said. "The hood he's wearing could be large enough to hide a horn."

"It's definitely a possibility." Neighton replied "But why would he hold her the way he did, grasping her forehead with his hoof outstretched? It's hardly the most effective way to keep her from running away."

"True," Twilight agreed. "And it also isn't the best way to cast a spell. Generally speaking it's easier to cast a spell on something the closer it is to your horn. He didn't even lift his hood to get a clear shot."

"It's a pretty scary pose." Luke piped up, climbing onto a chair. "Maybe he did it for effect, like a magician."

Twilight shrugging slightly; that theory's as good as any. She glanced at the photo before turning to the bookshelves. "Here, I'll see what I can find on memory and voice spells. It might help us track down who this is. Spike! Where's the _Guide to Charms and Enchantments?_ "

"Right… here..." The small dragon huffed, dragging a light blue book twice his size into the room. He lifted it onto to the table with a thud. Twilight smiled, opening the worn cover. "You know, Princess Celestia has a pretty wide range of books on spells." Spike added with a pointed look at Twilight. "You should ask her about it."

"We have entire shelves of spell books to look through; I'm not going to bother the princess about it." Twilight replied in annoyance, leafing through the yellowed pages of the blue book. "Professor Neighton, I'll be sure to let you know if I find anything."

"Thank you very much. I believe Luke and I are ready to continue our investigation." Neighton replied as Luke grabbed the photo and placed it in his saddlebags. Neighton glanced at its contents as it disappeared into the bag- the pony to which all but one aspect was obscured. "Before we go, do you know of anypony we may speak to about the cloak in the photograph? Perhaps somepony who may know the maker or recognize the design?"

Twilight gave a small chuckle. "I think I know just the pony" Twilight replied with a smile. She summoned a piece of parchment and a quill, scribbling down a name and address before handing it to the professor. "Her shop is just off of Sugarcube corner. If anyone can help you, she can."

"Thank you once again." Neighton said, tipping the brim of his hat. He turned to leave the library.

"Wait, professor! One last thing before you go." Twilight's horned glowed, summoning the _Whinneyton_ _Encyclopedia_ to the table. She looked up with a sheepish smile. "I was reading through it and I came across a curious section. I thought you might want to take a look at it."

/*See below for archeology puzzle */

"And there we have it! Is there anything else-"

_Ba-BOOM!_

A deafening crash rattled entire library. All three ponies jumped; Luke tumbled off of his chair, landing on the floor with a small thud. "Professor," He groaned, rubbing his head. "What on earth was tha-"

_Ba-BOOM!_

The professor sprinted out of the library, his apprentice in tow. A blue blur whizzed past him, tackling into thick clouds hovering above. Lightning shot to the sky as the figure barreled through, turning at the last second each time to deliver solid kicks to each cloud. In a matter of seconds she would discard each one of them, completely exhausted of their lightning.

"Yeeeaaaah!"

The form shot upwards, quickly becoming a tiny dot against the sun. There was a pause; she began to spiral back to the earth, gaining more and more speed, heading straight towards a large lightning cloud.

"She's going too fast," Luke said in a nervous whisper. "She won't be able to turn around in time."

She didn't even begin to turn, sinking into the heart of the cloud. A sickening crack of thunder muffled from inside. Suddenly she burst out of the bottom. Lighting spiraled around her, tearing beside her in her race to the ground. She banked sharply and landed, the lighting scorching the ground around her.

"Yes! Oh man, I needed that. That's got to be a new record." She shouted, pawing the ground with excitement. She caught sight of the professor and Luke running to her. "Hey, Top hat! And, er, little top hat!"

"My name's _Luke_."

"Professor Neighton." The professor added with a smile. "We met briefly in the library, though I'm not sure I caught your name."

"Name's Rainbow Dash- the one and only!" She said, striking a pose. "You saw what I just did, right? How awesome was that?"

"Are you okay? Your leg…" Luke peered nervously at her hind leg, where a deep red burn stretched across it. She looked down with a slight grimace.

"Oh, that. Yeah, that's gonna hurt later. But hey, what can you do?" Rainbow Dash said. Her head turned to the beaten clouds. "Every night these clouds rub past each other, and it's up to the pegusi to knock the lightning back out of 'em so they don't set off accidentally. We're bound to get shocked sometimes. Heck, I've been hit on my tail, my side, twice on my front leg…"

Neighton smiled slightly. "You were struck by lightning in the same place twice? I wouldn't have expected that."

"Isn't there a safer way to do it?" Luke asked. "Other than, you know, barreling into the cloud like that?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Sure, you _could_ play it safe. You could be like Twilight and measure it all out so the lightning leaves the cloud just right. But where's the fun in that?" She glanced over her burn with a hint of pride. "Sometimes you just have to tackle it. Throw caution to the wind- get in over your head. You get burned, and you get better. That's what makes it worth it." She smirked. "Got it, little top hat?"

"I told you, my name's Luke! I don't even wear a top hat."

"Yeah, but 'little colt-purse?' That sounds weird."

"It's a saddlebag!"

"Sure thing, colt-purse."

"It's not- _my name's Luke_!"

The professor chuckled. Both of them looked up.

"I apologize. The way you spoke earlier; it reminded me of somepony. A very dear friend of mine." He smiled, his expression softened. "Good afternoon, Rainbow Dash. Come, Luke. Let's see if we can find the shop Twilight spoke of – the 'Carousel Boutique.'"

**Chapter completed!**

**Thank goodness for Rainbow Dash, who can make an otherwise kind of boring chapter a bit more interesting.**

**To whom is the Professor referring at the end? That's for the reader to decide…**

**Anyway, starting January, and going on till early May, I'm not going to be able to post any chapters. I might be able to get another chapter in by the end of December, but if not, I'll start posting again around May. See you then!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much to everyone's who commented so far, and feel free to leave a comment, prediction, or anything else!**

/*

Archeology puzzle:

A young archeologist came forward with a coin, claiming that it came from an ancient civilization. The coin was golden and about the size of a bit. On the sides it bore a detailed picture of a running earth pony and the inscription _200 B.C._ (Before Celestia). The coin was quickly discredited as a fake. What gave it away?

Answer: If it did come from an ancient civilization, they wouldn't have used the BC time system, because they wouldn't have known about Celestia; after all, her rule hadn't happened yet!

*/


	7. Chapter 6: The Carousel Boutique

Professor Neighton opened the door to the Carousel Boutique, the small bell above the doorway tinkling to mark an arrival. A tiny white unicorn wearing a hoof-stitched cape and a feathered hat scampered to the door with a high-pitched "I'll get it!"

"Welcome to the Carousel Boutique!" She chirped, beaming at the professor and his apprentice. "Feel free to come in and look at the clothes. Oh, and if you have any questions just let me know!"

Professor Neighton chuckled. "Thank you very much. We're actually looking for a Miss Rarity; do you know where we might find her?"

The filly hesitated a bit. "Rarity? I don't know. She's really pretty busy all morning. Maybe if you came back-"

A curt voice came from a backroom. "Sweetie Belle, allow me to greet the clientele." Another unicorn, about Twilight's age, swiftly stepped into view. She brushed back a styled purple mane and cast the younger unicorn an exasperated look. "Honestly, sending away customers like that. Why don't you finish getting ready to meet your friends? And _please_ be careful with that hat!"

The younger unicorn nodded, trotting over to one of the colorful racks of clothing and tugging off a scarf. The older unicorn sighed, turning to the professor and Luke with a polite smile. "Welcome to the Carousel Boutique. Feel free to peruse; if you have any questions- oh dear, you haven't come about a late order, have you?" Worry clouded her expression. "I assure you, the Carousel Boutique is doing its best to make sure that, despite the recent, ah, obstructions, all orders be completed and delivered _tout de suite_."

"Oh, it's nothing like that." The professor said. "I'm Professor Neighton and this is my apprentice, Luke. This is actually our first time visiting your fine establishment."

"Oh, excellent." She said with relief. "Then please allow me to make a few suggestions. I believe I have a suit that would look simply _dashing_ with that top hat."

"Thank you, though I'm afraid we're not here to purchase." Neighton said with an apologetic smile. He took out the picture, placing it on a table for Rarity to see. "We're looking into a matter concerning this pony, and we were wondering if you could tell us anything about the cloak he's wearing."

Rarity glanced over her shoulder to a torn-apart workroom and sighed. She turned back to the professor. "I very sorry Professor, but you must understand that I really am quite pressed at the moment. Last night all of my orders, my work, my equipment, everything was simply scattered. I haven't the faintest idea of what happened." She sighed. "But there you have it. I've been trying to make up the damage all morning, but I simply haven't the time for anything other than my work."

"It's just one picture- it won't take long at all." Luke said quickly, "Please, we really need-"

"Luke, that's enough." The professor said with a stern look at his apprentice. "A true gentlecolt never adds to the burdens of a stressed lady."

Rarity stopped, for a moment lost for words. She looked at the professor with new interest, as though she was seeing him for the first time.

"I'm terribly sorry for your recent misfortunes, miss Rarity." He continued. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"I…" She paused, still a bit surprised. She cleared her throat. "Yes, I would very much appreciate your help." She turned gracefully to the table, picking up a folder in an envelope of light-blue magic. "These orders; I simply can't make heads or tails of them. Perhaps you'll have better luck?"

/* see below for outfit puzzle */

"Why, it's perfect! Thank you very much; you've saved me quite a bit of trouble. " Rarity smiled, moving the photograph into view. "I daresay some of that gained time may go to your photograph."

She summoned a pair of red glasses, carefully examining the picture. "Interesting. It's not one of mine, nor any work I recognize. It's probably a custom job; it's clear where the hood meets the body that it was stitched by hoof." She narrowed her eyes behind her glasses. "And that hood- the stitching is usually only used when adding extra cloth, as to accommodate for a unicorn horn. But they didn't include any extra cloth. Either the cloak was either poorly modified for the pony wearing it, or the tailor's methods were quite unusual."

"So the pony doesn't have a horn…" Professor Neighton muttered. He looked back over at Rarity "Is there anything else notable about the cloak?"

"Well… frankly, there's a great deal about it that simply doesn't make sense. This section doesn't have enough support; it should tear just from the weight of the cloth. The pony wearing it shouldn't have as much movement as he does; the form of the cloak simply wouldn't allow it. And the _material_; don't misunderstand, it catches light well and can be quite stunning if used correctly, but it tears and soils so easily. It's best used for shows and formal occasions. Running around outside, through the dirt and the elements- madness!

"But I digress; despite its amateurish flaws, it does seem to be holding up incredibly well, far better than I'd expect. I'd like to meet whoever made it; making this design work, they must be either a clothing genius or incredibly lucky."

While Rarity discussed the photo with the professor, Luke strained to get a better look. But unlike at Twilight's library, there was nothing for him to stand on, and his even on the tips of his hoofs he wasn't high enough see the top of the table, let alone look down on the photo. He slumped a bit in annoyance; he hated it when being small meant he was left out of conversations.

Luke's head turned at several rustling noises and the clinking of hangers. The filly from before, Sweetie Belle, was buried under a piles of clothing. Luke slowly walked over, curiosity getting the better of him.

The unicorn popped out of the pile, carefully inspecting a black scarf. She turned to Luke. "Do you think this could work as an eye patch?" she said, tying it across her eye in demonstration.

"Maybe…" Luke said, tilting his head. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Gathering props. I'm a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a club dedicated to earning cutie marks." She set down the scarf and hopped out of the pile, indicating to the blue insignia on her cape. "Today we're doing theatre; we got the idea from a flyer at school. Except one of our members can't talk very much right now, so it'll be mostly silent theatre."

Sweetie Belle looked more closely at Luke, and her eyes lit up with excitement. "Hey, you don't have your cutie mark either! Do you want to come? We're always open to new members. Here, I'll get you a costume." She dug into the pile once again, pulling out an ornate black cap, complete with a veil and a large plastic red flower.

"Er, no thank you. I'll stick with the Professor." He replied, placing a protective hoof on his own blue cap. He looked down at his own blank flank with a bit of pride. "Besides, I already know what my cutie mark's going to be. One day it's going to be a gentlecolt cutie mark- just like the Professor's!"

Sweetie Belle stepped forward to look at the Professor. "Are you sure that's a gentleman cutie mark?" She asked, squinting her eyes "it looks like a rock with a squiggle on it."

"That's a hieroglyph."

"Oh."

Rarity had turned to the Professor, passing over the photograph. "I'm afraid that's as much as I can tell you."  
"Thank you very much, Miss Rarity. You've been most helpful." Professor Neighton smiled, accepting the photo. He turned to his apprentice, handing down the photo. "Luke, would you put this in your saddlebag? We may need to talk to a few other ponies to find the exact-"

"Hey, I've seen that before!"

Sweetie Belle had peered over Luke shoulder to look at the picture and was now across the room, rummaging through a white saddlebag. She pulled out a brightly colored flier for the others to see. It read: _An attraction without parallel! Witness the magic of Conundrum's Traveling Dream Troupe this Saturday only from 4:00-7:00 at the Ponyville Performance Center! Dancing, theatre, magic tricks, and much more! _Additional information for prices, refund polices, and the like cluttered the bottom in tiny print.

"A filly gave this to me at school yesterday." Sweetie Belle explained. The professor studied the picture that filled most of the flyer. A cartoonish unicorn smiled widely at the ponies, his glowing horn forming the title of the flyer. Draped across him was a dark cloak, its pattern almost identical to the one in the photo.

The professor smiled. "There's an address at the bottom of this flyer; perhaps we should pay a visit, Luke." He turned to the two unicorns. "So long, Miss Rarity, Miss Sweetie Belle, and thank you both very much."

"No problem!" Sweetie Belle chirped.

Rarity smiled. "It was nothing compared your help with those orders. Really, I should be thanking you."

"Think nothing of it." He said, tipping the brim of his hat. "Helping a beautiful lady like you is the duty of every true gentlecolt. Good afternoon."

Rarity watched as the professor left the boutique, his young protégé close behind. "A true gentlecolt…" She mused.

"What was that, Rarity?"

"Ah, nothing Sweetie Belle." She said, finally turned back to her workroom, brushing back her mane with a small smile. A true gentlecolt indeed.

**Chapter completed!**

**I stand by what I said earlier about shipping. Doesn't mean a lady like Rarity can't appreciate a gentlecolt like Neighton.**

**I'm back! Sorry for the huge break- for the past few months I've been traveling in places that have distinctly no internet. And man, what a couple months that was! Both Professor Layton and MLP concluded their series and season respectively, with all sorts of new canon to work with. As I've said before, this story is set between Emmy and Flora in the Professor Layton universe and between Nightmare Moon and Discord in the MLP universe; that hasn't changed. Still, I'll try to keep the story as true to the series as I can.**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you to everyone who's stuck with the story through the hiatus, and feel free to leave a comment, critique, prediction, question, or anything else!**

/*

outfit puzzle:

An earth pony, a unicorn, and a Pegasus have asked for outfits that include a bow, a dress, and a pair of shoes. Each article of clothing can be red, black, or white, but the outfits must meet the following requirements:

No pony may have the same colored bow, dress, or pair of shoes as another pony

Each pony wants their own outfit to have at least two different colors.

The earth pony does not want to wear anything black.

Both the Pegasus and the unicorn want at least one white article of clothing

The Pegasus wants her bow to be the same color as her dress

The earth pony does not want a red dress

What are the ponies' outfits?

Answer: The earth pony's outfit is a red bow, a white dress, and red shoes. The Pegasus' outfit is a black bow, a black dress, and white shoes. The unicorn's outfit is a white bow, a red dress, and black shoes

*/


End file.
